Abuse on a School Bus: A Reality for Kids

Many children ride to school and back home on a school bus. Because it is one of the safest modes of children getting to school, many parents opt to place their kids on a bus for their own safety. Unfortunately, children aren’t always safe on school busses.

We have seen time and time again when children are injured at the hands of bus drivers who participate in texting and driving, or make negligent maneuvers on the road. Additionally, kids are harmed by bullies on busses. While we tend to think of bullies to be school aged children, it may be surprising for you to learn that bullies could also be school bus attendants.

While not every school bus driver or attendant intentionally harms children, there are some who are egregious and malicious towards kids. For example, a Polk County school bus attendant was recently arrested and charged with child abuse after assaulting an 8-year-old special needs student with an open hand and a water bottle.

Investigators watched the shocking incident unfold, as it was caught on video. According to an article from wtsp.com the video showed the school bus attendant slapping the child in the hand and arm with his seat belt, hitting him with a plastic water bottle, slapping him multiple times on his arm, and physically pressing him up against the bus wall and window.

Physically assaulting a child is never tolerated and should be punished to the fullest. In incidents such as this one, victims and their families could hold school districts accountable in order to make sure justice is served.